It’s always fun to go somewhere exciting at this time of the year, but there’s always a price to pay when we get home: everyone else seems to have got a head start on their Christmas preparations. I know, I can’t have it both ways. I won’t countenance thoughts of Christmas before some time mid-November, so yes, of course there’s lots to think about - and to do!

Before I could do anything, i had to do some shopping! After almost a month away from home, our fridge was empty. Not only did we need the everyday essentials but if I were to get going on Christmas preparations, then I’d also need cake and pudding ingredients, crackers and other bits and bobs for Advent calendars and stockings.

One thing I didn’t need to buy were flowers. I am incredibly lucky to have two such thoughtful men in my life - my Hero gave me a subscription for a monthly Bloom and Wild delivery, which started out well but has fizzled rather, and then Edward gave me three deliveries of lilies from Smith and Munson for my birthday, which have been nothing less than spectacular. The second one arrived shortly after we did and the blooms are simply beautiful.

All ingredients on hand, there was no further excuse for not getting started on the Christmas cakes and the fruit went in to soak overnight in rum.

The Christmas spatula came out the following day when the mixture was made and put into the tins to bake. The house smelled divine!

Next came the puddings, which also had to sit overnight to soak up all the goodness. This morning I have put that mixture into the pudding basins and the first one is currently steaming away in my Instant Pot. The first time I’ve used it for such things, I’m holding my breath and hoping it will be fine.

In between, Amy and Edward’s Advent Calendar has been assembled and sent (and arrived!) I love the number stickers I found in Dussmann’s bookshop on Friedrichstr. Berlin and wish we could find such things here! I had the bags already, but if I hadn’t I could have bought one of those complete sets of bags and matching number stickers from my last post.

As I left the pool after my swim yesterday morning, it was really cold but the sky was lovely enough to make up for that. Today, I have a day at home to continue working my way down my to do list, one of which is to assemble the things for my Christmas Journal. I might also put together an Advent crown for the table. I love to do all of these things which give me great pleasure, but it would be really useful to have a couple of extra days in November this year!